Protector for highway markings



July 16, 1940. E. w. OVERDORFF PROTECTOR FOR HIGHWAY MARKING-3 Filed June 17, 1938 Patent ed July 16, 1940 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to traffic regulation or control and more particularly to the use and maintenance of proper designations, particularly for causing vehicles to keep their proper lanes and direction. in order to facilitate travel.

The invention particularly relates to the application of lines, markings or treatment of the surface of a highway and to a protector for such highway markings. The protector is preferably in the form of a bridge or arch applicable at intervals along or upon the treated highway surface and preferably spanning the same to permit the surface to become set or otherwise suitable for use before being subjected to heavy traffic.

Lines have been painted on highways to designate traffic lanes and in order to prevent vehicles from obliterating these lines objects of varying weights, shapes and sizes have been employed, including bricks, stones and irregular shaped bodies of various kinds.

With slow moving traffic and low speeds such hard irregular shaped objects have been satisfactory to protect the lines and warn operators of vehicles to stay away from the same but, with faster moving trafiic, devices which were satisfactory for slow speeds have become not only unsatisfactory but dangerous both to property and person due to the fact that these objects are likely to be struck with greater force and cause accidents in numerous ways.

It is an object of the invention to provide a protector for highway markers or the like which will not only protect and warn the motorist but which will promote safety on the highway, the resilient surface of the said protector preventing injury to tires coming into contact with same and being of a construction which will not disintegrate; fly apart, and injure persons or property.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of this character which will not easily be knocked out of position, which may be quickly and easily seen and which is capable of longer use.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which is made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts.

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view illustrating one application of the present invention;

Fig. 2, a side elevation; and

Fig. 3, a perspective.

Referring to the drawing, the invention comprises a body formed preferably of one or few parts either of flexible material or with a flexible outer surface in order not to damage that with which it may come in contact. The body is likewise reinforced for strength and for this purpose any suitable fibrous material such as cotton may be used. The shape of the device is such that preferably it will span the painted line or otherwise treated surface.

As illustrated the body has a central portion in the form of an arch or bridge 10 spanning the space between tread portions or feet H. The road engaging treads or feet are preferably formed with serrations l2 or in any other manner to increase the road gripping action and maintain the device in position.

To further insure an effective road gripping action, the feet or tread portions of the device may be formed with one or more suction cups I3 arranged in any manner desired and utilizable alone or in conjunction with the roughened tread surface.

It is preferred that the opposite side walls of the protector may be relatively thick and painted with a bright color, such as red, in order that it may be more plainly visible to an approaching motorist. This enlarged surface area may be obtained by forming reinforcing ribs at opposite sides of the device instead of making it of uniform cross section throughout the width thereof.

In actual practice it has been found that a composition including rubber and a fibrous material, or rubber and fabric gives desired results. The design of the protector is such as to facilitate the same being molded. In addition to the edges of the device being given a striking color the entire device may be and is preferably colored so that the same will stand out with respect to the road surface.

A protector of the type disclosed herein promotes safety since it will not cause damage or injury to a vehicle and thereby cause the driver possibly to lose control of his vehicle or collide with and injure another vehicle. When run over the device merely becomes either partially or completely flattened on the road surface and the gripping or traction effect of the cleat portions of the device increases in proportion to the weight applied. Flexible protectors of this type may be used indefinitely without damage and consequent repair, and they also easily may be stacked and stored.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in this device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore I do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawing or described in the specification, but only as indicated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A protector for a freshly treated portion of a highway surface comprising spaced highway surface-gripping feet or tread portions, an intermediate body portion connecting said tread portions and being normally held by said tread portions out of contact with the highway surface and thereby forming an arch, said tread portions being provided with additional highway surfacegripping means comprising serrations for increasing the gripping action on the highway surface, said arch being made of material sufiiciently resilient to become at least partially collapsed against the highway surface should a vehicle wheel pass over said arch.

2. A protector for a freshly treated portion of a highway surface comprising spaced highway surface-gripping feet or tread portions, an intermediate body portion connecting said tread portions and being normally held by said tread portions out of contact with the highway surface and thereby forming an arch, said tread portions being provided with additional highway surfacegripping means comprising suction cups for increasing the gripping action on, the highway surface, said arch being made of material sumciently resilient to become at least partially collapsed against the highway surface should a vehicle wheel pass over said arch.

3. A protector for a freshly treated portion of a highway surface comprising spaced highway surface-gripping feet or tread portions, an intermediate body portion connecting said tread portions and being normally held by said tread portions out of contact with the highway surface and thereby forming an arch, said tread portions being provided with additional highway surfacegripping means comprising serrations and suction cups for increasing the gripping action on the highway surface, said arch being made of material sufficiently resilient to become at least partially collapsed against the highway surface should a vehicle wheel pass over said arch.

4. A protector fora freshly treated portion of a highway surface comprising spaced highway surface-gripping feet or tread portions, an intermediate body portion connecting said tread portions and being normally held by said tread portions out of contact with the highway surface and thereby forming an arch, said tread portions being provided with additional means for gripping the even as well as the uneven surface of a highway, said arch being made of material sufficiently resilient to become at least partially collapsed against the highway surface should a vehicle wheel pass over said arch.

ELVIN W. OVERDORFF. 

